Trithiane is a building block molecule in organic synthesis, being a masked source of formaldehyde. In one application, it is deprotonated with organolithium reagents to give the lithium derivative, which in turn can be alkylated.[3]

(CH2S)3 + RLi → (CH2S)2(CHLiS) + RH

(CH2S)2(CHLiS) + R’Br → (CH2S)2(CHR’S) + LiBr

(CH2S)2(CHR’S) + H2O → R’CHO + ….

Trithiane is the dithioacetal of formaldehyde. Other dithioacetals undergo similar reactions to the above.